Tuesday, May 12 (Day 21) at 6:04 p.m.
So happy!
That’s it, I’m here, at the docks in Fort-de-France, after the last few miles of upwind, sailing close-hauled on a flat sea. Pure bliss! And what a contrast to last night, when I ended up switching back to full-throttle mode with the full spinnaker when I thought I’d be cruising along quietly with the small spinnaker.
After a sleepless night spent slaloming between the Sargassum banks and wielding the seaweed rod, I was starting to hallucinate a bit! I tell myself that’s just how it works—certainly not by playing it safe: you give it your all, and the result is the cherry on top.
PersaiVert lives up to its name, and I’m proud of the organization, which does so much with so few resources in Senegal and never gives up. That’s the message: it’s all about commitment.
Upon arrival at the dock, a wonderful moment and guaranteed emotions with Alex, who has nothing but super nice things to say even though he himself put on a show on the water. The kind organizers Jean-Philippe and Thibault, as well as all the dedicated volunteers, the representatives from Martinique, Jacky and Patricia, and a whole bunch of people happy to see me happy.
I feel a deep joy and immense gratitude. I was thinking about it last night as I sailed along the coast of Barbados at dusk, in an otherworldly light: what an adventure!
The results are fantastic, as Ose beat the Pogo RC Aruba on corrected time. In the end, for the JPK 1050s, that means:
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in solo class
- 1st and 4th in double-handed class
The boats are amazing but demand a lot to be pushed to the limit. Clearly, you have to love pushing yourself to the max!
Bravo to Jacques, the maestro, and to the entire shipyard team: all our young 1050s crossed brilliantly, without a hitch. Time for the debrief and some camaraderie, fully immersed in the human adventure…
Thank you for following along with the updates from the boat. For me, moments like these allow for escape and sharing. And congratulations to the magnificent winners!
— JP
